Advice for customers - extreme winter weather
Repairs update - today's snow, Friday 7 January 2011
At present the repairs team at Kier are still able to make all appointments and urgent repairs. However, there are some small delays due to the recent snow fall.
If a repairs operative is unable to reach a particular address we will contact the tenant to inform them and rearrange the appointment.
Repairs update - frozen and burst pipes January 2011
We dealt with an unprecedented number of repairs emergencies over the festive period due to thousands of frozen and burst pipes in our properties. We brought in extra staff and would like to thank customers for their patience and understanding.
The repairs team at Kier is now operating a normal service.
Anyone wishing to report a normal or urgent repair should please call our repairs number on 0114 273 5555. If you have frozen pipes, please see the advice on our Frozen pipes page first.
Top tip: If you are going away this winter please remember to turn off your water at the stop tap. This will prevent your home flooding in the event of a burst pipe.
Be a good neighbour during the bad weather!
The cold weather brings a number of challenges to us all which makes getting on with our daily lives very difficult. It’s important during this time to spare some thought for our elderly and vulnerable neighbours who will struggle even more during the cold snap.
If someone has had an accident in their home, fallen and injured themselves or been taken ill, they may not be able to attract the attention of neighbours, passers-by or people who call at the door. Always be on the look-out for signs that something might be wrong, especially during the current cold snap.
There are many signs to look out for:
- Newspapers stuck in the letterbox
- Curtains drawn during the day
- Lights burning during the day
- Home in darkness when there should be someone at home
- Dog barking all day or the cat scratching to be let in
Prevention
Clearly, it is important to prevent people from becoming cold in the first place. Family, friends and neighbours in the community can look out for those who might be at risk from the cold. Prevention is always easier than cure
How to be a good neighbour:
- Encourage people to use a blanket or rug or wear a dressing gown and drink hot drinks to keep warm while sitting
- Check portable gas heaters are safe
- Make sure there is a supply of fuel within safe reach
- Make sure paths are cleared and well salted/gritted
- Put bins out
- Check people have enough food and milk to last them and that they have any prescriptions they might need
- Keep an eye out for bogus callers who may call door-to-door without an appointment claiming to be from a heating supplier or another company checking for problems caused by the cold weather. Always check the identity of callers to your home. Bogus callers often target the vulnerable and please report any suspicious behaviour. Sheffield Homes is contacting known vulnerable customers to make sure they are staying warm and managing during the cold weather.
If you see any of our staff out and about and have a concern for a neighbour please let them know or contact our call centres on 0114 293 0000 (North) or 0114 205 3333 (South).
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